Brake shoe for car retarders



Nov. 6,1928. I 1,691,010

W. K. HOWE BRAKE SHOE FOR CAR RETARDERS Filed Oct. 10, 1927 w INXENTOR 7%)1'TORNEY Patented Nov. 6 1928 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WINTHROP K. HOWE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO'GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

BRAKE SHOE FOR, GAR nnrannnn's.

Application filed October 10, 1927. Serial No. 225,301.

This invention relates in general to brake apparatus for location along a railway track for retarding cars as they pass thereby, generally known as car retarders or track brakes,

b and has more particular reference to the physical characteristics and particularconformation of a brake shoe employed in such brakes.

In retarders of the type in question, brakev accomplished by using a brake shoe comprising a brake shoe ofcast material, such as cast iron, or some special brake shoe metal.

It is a further Object of this invention to decrease the cost of manufactureof the brake shoes while increasing the useful life of th same and also the efficiency thereof.

A further object is to decrease the amount of material used in making the brake shoes, facilitate the escape from the brake shoes of 30 the heat generated by the frictional braking,

and reduce to a minimum the amount of metal discarded when the brake shoe has to be replaced by a new one.

Further objects, purposes and characteristic features of this invention will appear as the description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings showing, solely by way of illustration, one form of the invention. In the drawings 2- Fig. 1 is atransverse sectional elevation of a portion of a retarder including the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view, to an enlarged scale, of a brake shoe and brake beam in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, "and first more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown one track rail 1 of a railway track, carried on ties 2, by means of clamping blocks 3, held to the ties by spikes 4. r

Mounted on the clamping blocks 3 for sliding motion toward and away from the track rail 1, are brake beams 5 carrying brake shoes BS arrangedto be forcedinto frictional engagement with either side of a car wheel 6.

ing a rolled steel section rather than employ- Each brake beam has a spring guide 7 pivoted thereto by means of a pin 7 andcarrymg a spring 8 arranged to urge the brake shoe and brake beam inwardly toward the track rail '1'. The present case does not show the slidable or connection between the brake beams and the clamp blocks since this isfully set forth in applicants co-pending application 70,599, filed Nov. 21, 1925, to which attention is here directed. H r i The brake shoe BS, as mentioned above, is formed of an integral piece of steel and rolled to the cross section shown in the drawing. It comprises a relatively narrow body 9, having an inwardly projecting head lOat its (1 upper end,and an inw'ardly'proj ecting toe 11 at its lower end, the toe resting on, and being supported by an inwardly projecting shoulder 12 on brake beam 5.

For securely fasteningthe brake 'shoeto I5 the brake beam screws 13 are employed, which passthrough the brake beam as shown in Fig. 2 and through the body of thebrake shoe just below the head 10, terminating flush with the inner face of thefbody9. This provides a secure attaching means while permitting easy replacement ofbrake shoes when necessary.

The brake shoe, on its face toward the brake beam, is grooved out asshown at 14 and 15 in order to reduce the amount of metal in the shoe and at the same time provide an'increased surface for radiation of the generated frictional heat.

With the brake shoe formed of rolled steel a much longer life is insured than is the case on with such brake shoes as formally employed and made of cast material. Also, when the brake shoe must be discarded, due to wear, less metal need be thrown away than formerly, dueto the configuration of the brake shoe 95 and particularly to the grooved portions 14 and 15.

The screws 13, terminating flush with the inner face of the body 9 of the brake shoe, permit the braking head 10 to be worn down m 1 until its inner face is substantially flush with the inner face of the body. As shown in Fig. 1, the head 10 is positioned high enough up to bear with its entire friction surface against thecar wheel 6, while the toe 11 is sufliciently low to clear the wheel and avoid any interference therewith.

It has been found in practice that under certain conditions the car wheels tend toride up on the brake shoes, and in case they should 11 against the brake beam shoulder 12, will prevent any tendency to tip the brake shoe out of the vertical plane and avoid damage to the braking apparatus.

The above rather specific description or" this invention has been given solely by way of example, and is not intended, in any manner whatsoever, in a limiting sense. Obviously, the invention can assume various phys ical forms, and is susceptible of numerous modifications, and all such forms and modifications are intended to be covered by this invention, as come within the scope of the appended claims. 7

Having described my invention, I new claim 1. In a car retarder, a brake beamand a brake shoe carried thereby, the brake shoe comprising a relatively narrow body, an inwardly projecting head at the upper end of the body for frictional engagement with a car wheel, an inwardly projecting toe at the lower end of the body, and a shell on the brake beam on which the toe rests.

2. In a .car retarder, a brake beam and a brake shoe carried thereby, the brake shoe comprising a rolled steel section having a relatively narrow body, an inwardly projecting head at the upper end of the body for frictional engagement with a car wheel, an

inwardly projecting support toe at the lowerend of the body, and a shelf on the brake beam on which the toe rests.

8. In a car retarder, a brake beam and a brake shoe carried thereby, the brake shoe comprising a relatively narrow body, an inwardly projecting head at the upper end of the body for frictional engagement with a car wheel, an inwardly projecting toe at the lower end of the body, a shelf on the brake beam on which the toe rests and means fastening the shoe to the beam and passing through the beam and the said body of the shoe and terminating flush with the inner face of said body. 7

4. A car retarder brake shoe, comprising, a rolled steel section having a relatively narrow body, a friction head projecting inwardly from one end of the body, and a support toe 1proj ecting inwardly from the other end of the ody.

5. A car retarder brake shoe, comprising,

a rolled steelsection having a relatively narrow body, a friction head pro ecting mwardly from one end of the body, a support toe projecting inwardly from the other end of the body, and grooved out portions in the outer face of said brake shoe.

6. A car retarder brake shoe, comprising, a rolled steel section having a relatively narrow body, a friction head projecting inward- 1y from one end of the body, a support toe projecting inwardly from the other end of the body, and grooved out portions in the outer face of said shoe, the body being drilled parallel with said head for attachment of the brake shoe to operating means therefor.

In testimony whereof I affix my slgnature.

VVINTHROP K. HOIVE. 

